- Author: Kathleen P Nolan
Dear Colleagues,
California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) is now accepting applications for the Healthy Soils Program (HSP).
The Healthy Soils Program incentivizes implementation and demonstration of on-farm soil health practices that sequester carbon, reduce greenhouse gases, and improve soil health. The program is part of California Climate Investments, a statewide program that puts billions of Cap-and-Trade dollars to work reducing GHG emissions, strengthening the economy, and improving public health and the environment – particularly in disadvantaged communities. CDFA appropriated $28 million from the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund (GGRF) through the Budget Act of 2019 to support the HSP.
UC ANR is an eligible applicant for HSP Demonstration Projects. The HSP Demonstration Projects showcase California farmers' and ranchers' implementation of HSP soil health practices. Demonstration projects enable awardees to help support widespread adoption of soil health management practices throughout the state. For information on program requirements, please visit https://www.cdfa.ca.gov/oefi/healthysoils/DemonstrationProjects.html.
HSP Demonstration Projects applications are due on Thursday, April 23, 2020. For additional information on program requirements and the application process, please consider attending, in-person or remotely, a program webinar scheduled for next week. Registration is required.
March 16, 2020: 2:30 p.m. – 4 p.m. PT
Monterey County Agricultural Commissioner Office, Conference Room
1428 Abbott St., Salinas, CA
Register: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/7220627404767556365
Additionally, the program invites applicants to join an upcoming webinar delivered in partnership with CDFA's Office of Environmental Farming and Innovation. Tune in to learn about state and regional strategies to improve soil health and carbon sequestration in farmlands and ranchlands, based on the experience of California's Healthy Soils Program. As soil health deteriorates globally, programs promoting healthy soils become imperative. Practices that support healthy soils offer many co-benefits, including agricultural sustainability, climate change adaptation, emissions reductions and increased yields and farm incomes. In this webinar, Dr. Amrith Gunasekara, Science Advisor to the Secretary, CDFA presents California's innovative approach to improving soil health - the Healthy Soils Program - and breaks down the program's key components and mechanisms.
The Strategies for improving soil health: California's Healthy Soils Program webinar will be held on Tuesday, March 24 at 8 a.m. PT.
You may complete event registration at the following link: https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/7148563214248341517
Thank you.
Kathleen Nolan, Director, ANR Office of Contracts & Grants (OCG)